KL Rahul Karnataka batsman was handed his ODI cap against Zimbabwe on Saturday and by the time the match ended his name was in the record books. Burying the Test debut ghost, Rahul scored a magnificent unbeaten century and helped India to a resounding nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe. The win gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. With his huge six over deep mid-wicket region off pacer Hamilton Masakadza that took him to his century and India home, Rahul, scripted history by becoming the first Indian to score a ton on ODI debut. He eclipsed Robin Uthappa's record, whose 86 against England in 2006 in Indore on debut was the highest score by an Indian batsman on debut till date. Rahul is also the first Indian batsman to score a half-century on debut on foreign soil. The first ODI between the two countries also witnessed another record. Rahul and Karun Nair, who too made his debut on Saturday, are first pair since 1976 to open the innings on debut. "I wanted to play out the new ball, and then take it from there. I'm really satisfied with the way I carried on and stayed not out in the end. I just got told by the manager that I was the first Indian to get a century on debut. I wasn't thinking much, there was just one way to get to a century. I wanted to hold my shape and just hit it," Rahul, who was adjudged man-of-the-match, said. Rahul is also the 11th debutant to make a century on ODI debut. Highest ODI scores by India batsmen on debut: KL Rahul (100*) vs Zimbabwe in Harare in 2016 Robin Uthappa (86) vs England in 2006 Brijesh Patel (82) vs England in Leeds in 1974 Navjot Sidhu (73) vs Australia in Chennai in 1987 Manish Pandey (71) vs Zimbabwe in Harare in 2015
